Author Archives: Phil Hardwick

It’s a late October evening. The Saints are playing the Vikings on television. On another channel, the Red Sox are playing the Dodgers in what will be the final game of the World Series. As the players are introduced, photos of their faces appear in little boxes in the lower right-hand corner of the screen. Looking at those faces, it was ...

PHIL HARDWICK Ten years ago I wrote a column in which I offered 10 things that I believe will shape the future of housing and communities. It’s time for a checkup. 1. (Prediction) Increased use of technology in houses – Energy management, security, mood settings and efficient use of all things mechanical and electrical in our houses has been around ...

Depending on the perspective, there are good streets and not-so-good streets. And then there are great streets. This writer has a bias toward streets that are canopied. In Mississippi, that means streets that have treetops over them. Some streets in Ocean Springs, Jackson and Laurel come to mind. This column is about great streets as defined by the Project for ...

Spring is the best time of year to sell a house. But what if the house still isn’t selling after springtime? The seller could lower the price, increase marketing efforts or maybe call on St. Joseph. Does planting an upside down statuette in your front yard increase the odds that your house will sell sooner than later? If it is ...

With the Winter Olympics in full swing most of us are seeing a lot a flags. Some are really beautiful, and some are really ugly. So what makes a great flag? The answer to that question can be found in a great little booklet compiled by Ted Kaye and published by the North American Vexillological Association (NAVA). Here are the ...

Dear Mayor: I’m writing to let you know that my spouse and I have recently decided to relocate to another community. We are in our mid-50’s and have income over $200,000 per year. We plan on buying a house in the city. It will be in the $600,000 range. We are in excellent health and have no children. We travel ...

How much did you tip the server the last time you had a good meal in a restaurant? Who do you think gets to keep that tip? Would you change the amount you tip if the server did not get it all? The answer to these questions depends on several things, not the least of which is a U.S. Labor ...

Mayors of just about all small towns are part-time individuals interested and willing to serve their communities. They do not get paid very much and most are not holders of college degrees in economic or community development. They learn quickly that there is a lot to learn about being the CEO of a small town. One of the many ...

It’s been a while since I had a chance to visit with former Pelahatchie Mayor Knox Ross so I reached out to him online. Here’s my interview with the personable and accomplished Ross. What are you doing these days? I am completing an 11-month assignment as the CEO of the Coordinating and Development Corporation in Shreveport. The CDC is an ...

Last week I was in a restaurant in Fayetteville, Arkansas and noticed something. It was the third restaurant in three different cities in three days that made a contribution to some type of charity. I’m seeing this more and more, not only in restaurants, but other businesses as well. What do they know that Milton Friedman did not know? You ...